A schoolgirl who died after a reported case of Strep A has been named locally.
Stella-Lily McCorkindale, aged five, became unwell from the bacterial infection that is sweeping across the UK.
The tragedy comes as HSE director of national health protection, Dr Eamonn O'Moore, said Strep A is being investigated as one of the possible causes in the death of a four-year-old child in the north-east Dublin region.
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Stella-Lily was taken to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children and was in intensive care for three days before losing her life on Monday. She is survived by her parents Robert and Colette and wider family circle.
The youngster was from the Springmartin area of West Belfast and attended Black Mountain Primary School. Public Health Agency bosses sent letters to parents on Friday to warn them a pupil had been diagnosed with Strep A, Belfast Live reports.
On Tuesday morning, the school spoke of its “tragic loss” and said “the thoughts of the entire school are with the pupil’s family and friends at this difficult time”.
It said in a statement: “To assist in supporting our pupils and staff at this sad time, additional trained staff from the Education Authority Critical Incident Response Team have been engaged and will be providing support to the school.
“A letter has been sent by the school to parents, informing them of our tragic loss and providing information on the support services available through school for our children during this incredibly sad time.
“We recognise that this news may cause worry amongst our school community and we want to reassure parents that we continue to work closely with the Public Health Agency at this time.”
Stella-Lily was a member of the junior girls' team at Newhill FC. Paying tribute on social media, the club said: "Newhill Football Club are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Stella-Lily McCorkindale.
"Stella-Lilly was part of our first junior girls' team to come from our Skill School. We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the McCorkindale family at this time."
A fundraiser has also been set up to support the girl's family at this difficult time, which has already raised over £5,000.
Meanwhile, in Co Down, two children have been admitted to hospital suffering from Strep A.
Michael Peacock, head of Brackenagh West Primary School, close to Kilkeel, said one child from his school remained in hospital on Tuesday. He said 34 children out of 48 were off school that day.
“Every winter we will see quite a level of sickness at various stages, and over the last couple of weeks we have had that as usual, but we have noticed last week the numbers were probably higher than normal,” he told the BBC.
“Children were starting off with a sore stomach quite a lot, they were having a temperature, they were feeling unwell, aches and pains, in many cases it sounded a little bit like the flu, but on Monday morning we discovered that quite a number of children had confirmed cases of either Strep A or scarlet fever, it’s spreading quite quickly.
“At break time yesterday [Monday], I was told that two of our children had been hospitalised, so at that point I immediately contacted all of the parents, made them aware of our concerns that this was something that was potentially more serious.
“We still have a child in hospital today [Tuesday]. I’ve been told that the child is on oxygen and is still quite poorly, and hasn’t been well since yesterday. We’re just praying for the child that he will be fine.”
Dr Philip Veal, a consultant at the Public Health Agency, said Strep A is circulating within the UK, including Northern Ireland.
“For the majority of people it will be an unpleasant infection that will resolve, but, sadly, as we have heard with the tragic news, it can lead occasionally to very severe illness,” he told the BBC.
“We are keen to communicate to parents and schools what to watch out for for scarlet fever, that is, a sore throat, a high fever – a temperature above 38 degrees – or the appearance of a red raised rash on the skin, sandpapery or leathery feel to it. If any of those develop in an adult or a child, we’re encouraging them to speak to their doctor for further advice.”
He said the proportion of serious illness so far is “broadly in line with what we have seen during previous spikes”, but said they will keep the data and surveillance under constant review to watch for any unexpected increases.
So far, eight children in Great Britain have died with a form of Strep A. Strep A infections are usually mild and can be easily treated with antibiotics. Illnesses caused by the Group A Strep bacteria include skin infection impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat.
What are the symptoms of Strep A?
Health officials say parents should contact the HSE or their GP if:
- your child is getting worse
- your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
- your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
- your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
- your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
- your child is very tired or irritable
Parents are also advised to call 999 or go to A&E if:
- your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
- there are pauses when your child breathes
- your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
- your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
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